Talking with Fedor Fedotov in the Premiere of his Netflix movie Silver Skates

A couple years ago I had the honor of talking with Fedor Fedotov after the premiere of his film “Silver Skates” on Netflix. Stay tuned for an article about the movie as well.

Here’s our conversation.

Hello. I’m very glad that we can talk and get to know each other thanks to the premiere of “Silver skates” on Netflix! So, my name is Fedor and I’m a Russian actor.

· How and when did you start acting?

I have been playing in the theater since 2014 and in 2019 I starred in my first film - “Silver skates “! Before entering the theater academy in Saint-Petersburg, I played hockey and dreamed of becoming a professional hockey player. Now the sport is very helpful to me in my profession!

· You share the same name as the famous Russian author (Fedor Dostoyevsky). Has any of his books or plays inspired you?

Petersburg is my hometown and many of Dostoevsky's works are just about this city! I admire this writer. The Brothers Karamazov is one of my favorite novels. But they named me not in honor of Dostoevsky, but in honor of my great-grandfather! I dream of playing in the theater or in the cinema some of Dostoevsky's heroes! I understand that it is very difficult but it is very interesting!

· Which movie inspires you?

I really like to watch movies. I like very different films from different directors. I can't name one favorite movie! But I will definitely say that Tarantino's films, Woody Allen's films, films by Russian directors Tarkovsky and Ryazanov, taught me a lot and always inspire me a lot. I love many films since childhood. A lot of films touched me in my youth. Many films have helped me become the best in the profession!

· What do you think about modern cinema? (Russian and international)

What do I think about modern cinema? I think that it should look for its own language and be absolutely free! And everyone who works in cinema must be brave! We must courageously do something new and not be afraid to experiment. Now there are a lot of good TV series in Russia now, a lot of good films. And it's not just about money, it's about putting your whole soul and a lot of energy into your business.

· If you could spend a day with someone (dead or alive), who would you choose? And what would you do together?

I can name many great names. And it would be a sincere desire and great happiness to meet one of my idols. But in my life and in the life of my fellow students there was a great loss. in 2019 our master died, our teacher, our professor, Larisa Gracheva. She taught us everything we know in this profession and gave us all her strength and a lot of love. Larisa Viacheslavovna could not defeat the disease, but she forever remains in our hearts. I would like to meet my teacher just for a day and just talk.

· What is your priority in life? Your art, or are you trying to find balance between work and personal life?

Yes of course I'm trying to keep a balance in everything. I am such a person. I really love my work, but I also love my family, my dear parents, my brothers and sisters, my wife, I love to play sports, I love spending time with my friends. And the actor should try to rest in order to gain impressions and creative powers! That's how I live! I try to catch everything!

· As an actor, do you prefer recognition and love from the public while you are alive, or would you prefer to leave a legacy in your art? What is your approach to fame?

I am calm about fame and success. Thank God, my parents and teachers gave me a very good upbringing for which I am very grateful to them. The attention of the public is very nice! But it is more important to do your job honestly and constantly learn new things. If you work on yourself, then success will surely come! I try not to stop and develop professionally all the time. And I use my fame as a film actor to invite spectators to the theater and draw attention to my performances!

· As a character, do you compare and relate to your roles? Or do you prefer to keep your distance? What is your approach with acting?

In movies it often happens that a character is very similar to yourself. For example, we have a lot in common with Matvey. In the theater, it more often happens that you have to play a character completely different from yourself! I have a romantic appearance and in my life I have played a lot of romantic heroes. But when I was given the role of Tybalt in the play “Romeo and Juliet”, I was very surprised! Playing villains and scoundrels turned out to be very interesting too! In any case, I always try to be the lawyer of my role! I try to learn as much as possible about my character, learn his whole life in great detail! And I always remember that you can learn something from any character. Matvey from “Silver skates” is younger than me, but even from him I learned nobility and courage! Matvey is only 18 years old but it was very interesting for me to observe and learn from him!

· Is there a role you would like to play? How do you choose them? What is one thing you learned in each role?

Perhaps I would like to play Hamlet! Or is it too trite? I'm kidding. I learned one important thing. Never have to wait for a role! Your role will come to you on its own. All my best roles that I played in the theater and in the cinema found me themselves, I could never have thought or wished for such a thing! And the most unexpected role can suddenly become interesting! Much depends on you! In each role you need to look for a chance to grow and become better! For example, to play the role of Tybalt, I mastered nun chucks to fight like Bruce Lee! For other theatrical roles, I learned to sing, dance, play musical instruments. If we talk about “Silver skates”, then I knew how to skate. But even in this I had to become better!

· This film has a lot of action, suspense and a love story, but it also touches on a sensitive period of Russian and world history. What is your approach to narration of important topics?

Really “Silver skates” is not just a fairy tale! This film talks about the most important moment in Russian history and the beginning of the bloody twentieth century in Russia! I think this is the last tale before of the beginning of terrible times. And it was important for us to show the story of honest and courageous young people who sincerely love each other. This is the task of theater and cinema in my opinion. To tell stories showing real people! The viewer is interested in learning the story by looking at the experiences and lives of the heroes! Of course it's a good blockbuster! Of course this is a beautiful movie! Of course this is a fairytale! But at the same time, this film has a lot of deep meaning and implications. That's why silver skates are interesting for kids and adults alike!

· What challenges did you have to overcome as a young/starting actor? What advice would you give to young people who are trying to make their dreams come true in a difficult field like yours?

In the profession of an actor, a lot depends on the case. Yes, today I am a famous young artist who played the main role in a good film! But all this might not have happened. We must do what depends on us and work hard. And then fate will help! I would like to wish all young artists a lot of strength and patience! You have to believe in yourself! Great happiness comes when there are people nearby who will support you at any moment. I have people like that! And this is happiness! I am grateful to my family and friends for their help and faith in me!

You can follow Fedor's work through his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fed_fed23/

Here's the trailer of the movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPTv8vOnfiY